Opinion

In 1996, I attended Harvard’s Program on Negotiation to learn, for the first time, about interest-based negotiation. I was privileged to study under the legendary Professor Roger Fisher, co-author, along with Wiliam Ury, of Getting to Yes. Having spent many years being educated in and practisi

Laura Sefton highlights the challenges facing the housing sector over the decarbonisation of heat from buildings, explains why we’re seeing an evolving regulatory environment and examines the legal and regulatory implications of these changes. Scotland’s policy and legislative landscape

The UK’s largest pension funds have pledged to invest at least 10 per cent of their assets in private markets by 2030, but managing investment and fiduciary risk will continue to be a delicate balance under a new accord, write Tom Barton and Katie Ivens. Seventeen workplace pension providers h

The repeal of the majority ownership provisions were perhaps the most significant aspect of the new regulation bill, writes Brian Inkster. On 20 May, the Regulation of Legal Services (Scotland) Bill was passed by the Scottish Parliament. That day, the Law Society of Scotland issued a press release h

The Scottish Parliament is currently scrutinising a bill that would bring about significant changes to the law on ending commercial leases in Scotland. This will be of significant interest to both landlords and tenants in Scotland, writes Kieran Buxton. At present, if a party wants a lease to end on

The growing popularity of self-builds and owner-managed conversions and renovations, perhaps fuelled by the popularity of Grand Designs and other such programmes, puts an additional potential responsibility on conveyancers when acting for purchasers of such properties and this is becoming a growing

A string of prosecutions in the UK should spur UK manufacturers to take action to meet their legal obligations to address health risks arising from dust, writes Charlotte O’Kane. In the last year, Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecutions have resulted in cases in which businesses - and,

Last week’s Programme for Government marked one year as first minister for John Swinney and also fell exactly one year until voters go to the polls in arguably one of the most important Scottish elections since devolution, writes Scott Wright. The programme was brought forward by the first min

The EU’s sweeping reform of product liability law contrasts sharply with the UK’s more tentative approach, write Paola Sproul and Mark Gibson. The EU and the UK are undergoing significant overhauls of their product liability regimes, primarily driven by the need to address challenges pos

Scottish building and fire safety regulations are set to change significantly in light of the Grenfell Tower fire inquiry, writes Katherine Metcalfe. The Scottish Government’s acceptance of all recommendations from the public inquiry into the Grenfell Tower fire signals further significant cha

In the wake of World Intellectual Property Day, Alastair Smith explores the crucial significance of intellectual property rights in protecting the creative work and ensuring the commercial success of musicians and composers. It is arguably the most iconic movie signature tune of all time, recognisab

Plans to reward people who report corporate crime within their own organisation are to be taken forward by the UK’s Serious Fraud Office (SFO) over the next year, writes Tom Stocker. In its latest annual business plan the SFO lists “progress whistleblower incentivisation reform” as

On 16 April 2025, the UK's Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the terms "woman," "man," and "sex" in the Equality Act 2010 refer to biological sex at birth. This landmark judgment provides clarity on a contentious legal issue, but also creates practical considerations for organisations seeking to

New US tariffs (who knows where things will land) could well increase material costs and delay supply chains across the UK and Scottish construction sectors. Add to that investor uncertainty and currency fluctuations, and the risks are clear, writes Jennifer Young. Now’s the time to revisit co

Following the Scottish government’s response to the Grenfell Inquiry report, Caroline Maciver highlights the implications so far for the sector and calls for more clarity to help it progress under the new regulatory regime.  Last month, Holyrood’s housing minister Paul McLennan upda